read•write•think••• 6-29 October 2009

Birm ingh am Bo o k Fe s t i va l www.birminghambookfestival.org Literary flair with urban spirit… a warm welcome to the tenth anniversary Birmingham Book Festival

Our Thanks Go To: Partner Organisations: Special Thanks to our We reach our first decade with our best ever Artist Supporters and OurArts Council England TindalThanks Street Press Birmingham Book Festival. Writers, poets, performers Festival Volunteers BCU Conservatoire RSA Yellow Jersey Design Birmingham Libraries Festival Friends and and many others come to the Festival to share their ClarkePrint Waterstone’s Supporters help the love of writing. Many names will be familiar, but we Rewired PR Sampad Birmingham Book Festival Writers’ Guild of Great Britain and the work it does also feature writers other Festivals overlook: the new, Birmingham Book West Midlands Readers’ encouraging reading, writing the challenging, the gloriously undiscovered. Festival Board Network and thinking. National Academy of Writing There are many opportunities to participate. Workshops for those interested Roz Goddard South Birmingham College in developing their writing and Seminars are a chance to learn more about Lorraine Francis The Drum Danielle Fuller particular writers. Other events are made complete by audiences asking Completely Novel Philip Monks questions, joining in discussions and becoming part of the Festival. Fazeley Studios Amy Seton Tim Thackaberry We are grateful for the support of Arts Council England and our many partners and sponsors, including Birmingham Libraries and South Birmingham College. For information on becoming a Friend or Supporter Our sincere thanks go to all those writers and others who will travel to Birmingham visit www.birminghambookfestival.org to share their work, and to the publishers and agents who offer so much support.

Festival PR by Rewired www.rewiredpr.com We hope you enjoy th e Festival Jonathan Davidson - Artistic Director Box Office 0121 303 2323 or www.birminghambookfestival.org Sara Beadle - Programme Director eventsWhat’sworkshops, On seminars & surgeries Box Office 0121 303 2323 or www.birminghambookfestival.org page date time title venue page date time title venue 8 6 Oct 7.30pm Sadie Jones & Kate Pullinger Conservatoire 35 27 Oct 7pm A Pint For The Ghost Library Theatre 9 6 Oct 7pm BBC Radio 4: Poetry Slam Final Conservatoire 36 27 Oct 7.15pm Extraordinary Clouds Conservatoire 9 7 Oct 7.30pm Let Me Tell You Conservatoire 37 27 Oct 8pm Postcard Poets Library Theatre 7 7 Oct 7.30pm Poetraits Exhibition Festival Fringe Lounge (Library Foyer) 38 27 Oct 7pm Writing The Archers Conservatoire 10 7 Oct 7pm John Boyne & Janette Jenkins Conservatoire 38 28 Oct 6pm Emerging Talent: NAW Showcase Conservatoire 11 8 Oct 7.45pm Tristram Stuart: Waste Conservatoire 39 28 Oct 7.15pm Festival Keynote: George Monbiot Conservatoire 12 8 Oct 8pm Tindal St Press: The Booker Trio Library Theatre 40 28 Oct 7.30pm R J Ellory Library Theatre 13 8 Oct 7.30pm Write On Sister The Drum 41 28 Oct 7.45pm Some Girls’ Mothers Conservatoire 14 8 Oct 7.30pm Kate Mosse: Giant Reading Group Conservatoire 42 29 Oct 7.30pm Karen Armstrong Conservatoire 15 8 Oct 6pm Postgraduate Poetry Platform Conservatoire 43 31 Oct 7.30pm Beyond Words The Drum 15 9 Oct 7.30pm Birmingham Poet Laureate Inauguration Library Theatre 16 9 Oct 7pm Difficult Teenagers Fazeley Studios 44-46 10 Oct From 10am Workshop and Surgery Saturday South Birmingham College 17 Nov 10 - 4pm The Writers Toolkit South Birmingham College 18 12 Oct 6.30pm Write On! Awards Conservatoire 19 13 Oct 7pm Helen Cross & Tommy Wierenga Conservatoire 6-7 13 Oct 6.30pm Learned Poetry Performance Festival Fringe Lounge (Library Foyer) 20 13 Oct 7.30pm David Edgar: How Plays Work Conservatoire 21 14 Oct 7.15pm Paint A Vulgar Picture Fazeley Studios 22 14 Oct 7pm Lindsey Davis Conservatoire 23 14 Oct 7.30pm Brian Keenan Conservatoire The RSA is delighted to support the 2009 Birmingham Book Festival. 24 15 Oct 8.15pm Nick Hornby & Lynn Barber Conservatoire _ 25 15 Oct 7pm The Art of Living Series Conservatoire 46-47 17 Oct From 10.30am Seminar Saturday South Birmingham College For more than 250 years the RSA has provided platforms 6-7 19 Oct 7pm BCU Concert: Trio Sonata Tour Conservatoire 26 20 Oct 7.30pm BBC Radio 4: A Good Read Conservatoire for leading public thinkers to explore new ideas and to offer innovative 27 20 Oct 7pm Honouring Samuel Johnson Conservatoire solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing society. 28 20 Oct 6.45pm Surreal In The City Conservatoire 29 21 Oct 6.45pm Beyond The Bubble Anthology Launch Conservatoire Today we combine thought leadership with social innovation to further 30 21 Oct 8pm A L Kennedy Conservatoire human progress and our work is supported by 27,000 Fellows, an international 31 22 Oct 7pm Robert Goddard: The NAW Lecture Conservatoire 32 22 Oct 7.15pm Chisholm Book Launch Conservatoire network of influencers and innovators from every field and background. 32 22 Oct 7.30pm Fourpenny Circus Library Theatre _ 33 23 Oct 7pm The English Journey Conservatoire 34 24 Oct 1pm Readers Afternoon Conservatoire 6-7 26 Oct 7pm BCU Concert : Robert Birchall Conservatoire www.theRSA.org _ Festival Fringe Poetraits Exhibition Conservatoire Concerts A variety of fringe events are taking LAunch - In the Central Library The Festival is proud to be hosting several concerts accompanied by selected place during the Festival in the Festival readings by Birmingham Conservatoire staff in the Recital Hall. foyer at 7.30pm Fringe Lounge which can be found in the The Trio Sonata Tour Robert Birchall foyer of the Central Library. WEDNESDAY 7 October The exhibition runs throughout the festival MonDAY 19 October 7pm MonDAY 26 October 7pm Learned Poetry in Birmingham Central Library Featuring Robert Birchall (piano) performs two Annabel Knight - baroque flute and recorder of Olivier Messiaen’s magical depictions An innovative series of animated Performance Ross Winters - recorder of birds and nature from his epic cycle, portraits by local portrait artist Graham Robin Bigwood - harpsichord Catalogue of Birds, followed by Tuesday 13 October 6.30pm Kershaw inspired by poets. Mussorgsky’s fairytale-like evocation Join us in travelling around some of Fringe Lounge: Central LibrarY The portraits feature six of the Midlands’ of Russia, Pictures at an Exhibition. the cities of Europe, with music by Corelli, leading performance poets, including See the results of David Calcutt’s Handel, Telemann and more. Dreadlockalien, Polar Bear and Jo Bell. Poetry By Heart workshop - a short The development of each portrait is Tickets (both events) - £5.50 (£3) Available only at the door performance of much loved and learned revealed through animations set to words by participants of the workshop. audio of each poet reading a specially (see page 45) WEDNESDAY 28 October 11am - 3pm commissioned poem. Readers’ day with Library Services at Home Why not come and meet the artist and Look out for other Fringe some of the featured poets at the launch? Unit 14, Gravelly Hill Industrial Park, Tyburn Road, Birmingham B24 8HZ Events that may be Please contact Nikki Bi for details on 0121 303 2895 or email [email protected] announced during the course of the festival Blogging and other digital things: The Festival blog is a good place to keep up with news and reviews of events and books we like. Follow it at http://birminghambookfestival.blogspot.com/.

We are also on Twitter (@bhambookfest) and Facebook (Birmingham Book Festival). 6 7 Tuesday 6 October 7.30pm TUESDAY 6 October 7pm WEDNESday 7 October 7.30pm Sadie Jones Poetry Slam Let me andKate Pullinger Final Tell You In Conversation BBC Radio 4 Ophelia in her own words Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG

We are launching the Festival in slam style with this dynamic and exciting evening of people performing their work, battling it out for the top spot. All those competing have won heats around the UK and come to Birmingham to stake their final claim… Compered by former Birmingham Poet Sadie Jones wrote screenplays for fourteen Kate Pullinger is the author of several novels Laureate and renowned performance poet Author Paul Griffiths comes to Birmingham years before producing The Outcast, including When the Monster Dies, Weird Dreadlockalien, this event promises to be a to discuss his unusual novel - Ophelia’s her first novel. Her writing credits are an Sister and A Little Stranger. She has also storm of activity and creativity. story told entirely with words she uses eclectic mix, everything from episodes of published two collections of short stories: Please note this event will be recorded to be broadcast in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Paul will be in BBC TV shows to a feature film in 2004. Tiny Lies and My Life as a Girl in a Men’s on National Poetry Day, Thursday 8th October. conversation with Paul Edmondson of the Her current project is a pilot for the Prison. Kate also writes for radio, film and Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, and the BBC series Disorder. The Outcast won for digital media. Her digital work includes event will be punctuated by readings from The Costa First Novel Award in 2008 and The Breathing Wall, an experimental fiction. the text, performed by A former Ophelia. was shortlisted for the Orange Prize in Her latest novel is The Mistress of Nothing. the same year. Small Wars is her second, An extraordinary evening of well known Tickets are free but book early to eagerly awaited, novel. words as you’ve never heard them before. avoid disappointment. Tickets - £6 (£4.50) Tickets - FREE Tickets - £5 (£3.75) Box Office 0121 303 2323 Box Office 0121 303 2323 or Box Office 0121 303 2323 or 8 or www.birminghambookfestival.org www.birminghambookfestival.org www.birminghambookfestival.org Wednesday 7 October 7pm Thursday 8 October 7.45pm John Boyne andJanette Jenkins Tristram Stuart In Conversation Waste: Uncovering The Global Food Scandal Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG

Most people would admit that wasting food is not good. But surely, they’d say, the problem can’t be that serious? Isn’t rooting around in rubbish bins a somewhat extreme - and unpleasant - reaction? Tristram Stuart would disagree. In his new book, Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal, he sets out in forensic detail exactly why we should all be worried by the problem. In his view, food waste is the big unspoken John Boyne is the author of the international Janette Jenkins is the author of the novels environmental crisis of our times, right up bestselling book The Boy In The Striped Angel of Brooklyn, Columbus Day and there with more familiar concerns such as Pyjamas, now a major feature film. Another Elvis Love Child. deforestation, water scarcity, even global He has published seven novels, two short Her short stories have appeared in warming. Combining front-line investigation novellas aimed at improving adult literacy, newspapers and anthologies, including with startling new data, Waste shows how and over seventy short stories. His latest Stand Magazine, and have been broadcast the way we live now has created a global novel, The House of Special Purpose was on Radio 4. In 2003 she was awarded an food crisis - and what we can do to fix it. published in 2009. Alumni Fellowship by the University of Bolton. Presented in association with the RSA John and Janette will be in conversation with Richard Beard, author of Becoming Drusilla.

Tickets - £5 (£3.75) Tickets - £6 (4.50) Box Office 0121 303 2323 or Box Office 0121 303 2323 or 10 www.birminghambookfestival.org www.birminghambookfestival.org 11 Thursday 8 October 8pm ThursDAY 8 October 7.30pm Tindal Street Press Write on Sister The Booker Trio: Discussion and Performance Catherine O’Flynn, Gaynor Arnold and Claire Morrall Venue - The Drum, 144 Potters Lane, Aston, Birmingham, B6 4UU Venue - The Library Theatre, Birmingham Central Library, Local Artist Pauline Bailey hosts an Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3HQ. exciting evening of discussion and Tindal Street Press is famous for the performances with two tour-de-forces frequency of its Man Booker Prize of black female literature worlds - listings. Here, as part of its tenth Bonnie Greer and Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze. anniversary celebrations, they present Exploring Black African-Caribbean three women novelists who all live in female presence and influences in Birmingham - and who have all reached contemporary literature, Write on Sister

Catherine O’Flynn the Booker Prize shortlist or long list opens this discussion which is rounded with their debut novels. off with a series of performances and readings. The authors will read from their extraordinary debuts and discuss how This event is set to be a highlight of the their lives changed as a result of their Drum’s Black History Month season as prize-listed works. well as the Birmingham Book Festival. Gaynor Arnold This is a Drum event supported by the Birmingham Book Festival

www.the-drum.org.uk

Tickets - £5 (£3.75) Tickets - £8 (£6) Box Office 0121 303 2323 or Box Office 0121 333 2444 or Claire Morrall www.birminghambookfestival.org www.thedrum.org.uk 13 Thursday 8 October 7.30pm Thursday 8 October 6pm Friday 9 October 7.30pm

Postgraduate Birmingham Kate Mosse Poetry Platform Poet Laureate The Giant Reading Group Poets in Performance Inaugural Reading Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Venue - Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG The Library Theatre, Birmingham Join Kate Mosse for this reading group to The Winter Ghosts, a haunting 1920’s ghost Central Library, Chamberlain discuss Labyrinth and Sepulchre and hear story from the French mountains, returning We are fortunate in Birmingham to be Square, Birmingham B3 3HQ extracts and inspirations from her latest novel, to the Languedoc so loved by Kate’s readers. surrounded by some of the country’s best postgraduate creative writing programmes. Kate Mosse is the author of two non-fiction Join us at the first reading of the brand This event celebrates National Poetry books and three novels. Labyrinth was a multi- new Poet Laureate for the city. The new Day by bringing together students from million international bestseller, translated into Laureate will be announced on National the Universities of Warwick, Birmingham, 35 languages and published in 40 countries Poetry Day, Thursday 8th October and Wolverhampton and the Birmingham City It won Richard & Judy’s Best Read and was then will perform at the Festival in their University’s National Academy of Writing to chosen as one of Waterstone’s Top 100 novels first official capacity. perform the very best of their poetics. of the past 25 years. A guest presenter for With special guest appearance by poet, BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Review and Open Entry to this event is free if you show a Hugo Williams Book, Kate is also is a book reviewer for ticket to any other Book Festival event at BBC Breakfast News and for Simon Mayo, the box office or on the door. the Co-Founder & Honorary Director of the Please book a seat even if you are claiming FREE entry, Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction and a the box office will have a record of your other bookings. Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Kate was Tickets for this event are free but please named European Woman of Achievement for reserve with the box office. Contribution to the Arts in 2000. Tickets - FREE Box Office 0121 303 2323 or Tickets - £5 (£3.75) Tickets - £5 (£3.75) www.birminghambookfestival.org Box Office 0121 303 2323 or Box Office 0121 303 2323 or www.birminghambookfestival.org www.birminghambookfestival.org 14 15 Friday 9 October 7pm Saturday 21 November 10am - 4pm Venue - South Birmingham College, Difficult Teenagers High Street, Deritend, Digbeth, Birmingham B5 5SU Writing For The Teenage Market The Venue - Fazeley Studios, 191 Fazeley Street, Digbeth, Birmingham B5 5SE Subjects Presented in association with the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Writers’ covered include... Understanding Publishing, The teenage audience is a notoriously difficult one to write for, yet across all media is often Pitching Ideas, Social seen as one to target. In fact, many writers, publishers and producers see teenagers as an Toolkit Networking for Writers, exacting but rewarding audience with their own distinct demands and requirements. A Conference Working with the BBC, Three practitioners with strong track records in this field share their experiences and discuss for the Writing with Communities, the issues around writing for teenagers. Promoting Poetry, Working Writing Industry with Agents and Writing in Chris O’Connell from Theatre Absolute, Coventry, author of the award-winning Street This is our second annual the Digital Age. Trilogy and the recent plays Hang Lenny Pope & Zero, will talk about the connections the Other individuals company’s work has made with teenage audiences. gathering for emerging and organisations David Calcutt has recently written two critically-acclaimed novels for young people, or established writers and involved include... Crowboy and Shadow Bringer and will talk about his writing for this age group. Arts Council England, anyone working in the Writers’ Guild of Great Marcus Romer of Pilot Theatre Company (winner 2008 TMA Best Show For Young writing industry Britain, Arvon Foundation, People Award for Looking For JJ), will look at the use of digital media alongside theatre to The conference offers a unique opportunity to National Association of appeal to a teenage audience. learn about aspects of the business of being a Writers in Education, BBC writer and to network with others writing and Radio Four, The National working in literature development through a Academy of Writing and mixture of panel discussions and Q&A sessions. Bloodaxe Books. Tickets - Free to Guild Members or £5 (£3.75) Tickets - £29 (£23) Includes buffet lunch Box Office 0121 303 2323 or Box Office 0121 246 2770 or 16 www.birminghambookfestival.org [email protected] 17 Monday 12 October 6.30pm Tuesday 13 October 7pm Write On! Awards 2009 Spilt Milk & Speedboats The Awards for 2009 Creative Young Writers Helen Cross & Tommy Wierenga Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG

The Birmingham Book Festival is proud to present the second annual Write On! Awards. Write On! is the Festival’s arts education programme. Since 2001 it has run over 450 creative writing projects in schools across Birmingham and the West Midlands. The programme has enabled more than 10,000 children and young people to develop their creative writing guided by professional writers. In order to celebrate the achievements of the children involved we are hosting Helen Cross’s first novel, My Summer Tommy Wierenga is the author of Joe a showcase of writing produced during Of Love won a Betty Trask Award and Speedboat, his first novel to be translated the Summer 2009 term of activity. Those became a BAFTA award winning film. into English after its huge success in his pupils who have demonstrated the greatest Her plays have been broadcast on Radio native Holland. He is a journalist, and the enthusiasm for creative writing will receive 4 and she has been writer in residence at prize winning author of four other novels. awards. Tony Howell, Strategic Director for the University of Mumbai. Spilt Milk, Black Children, Young People and Families, will Coffee is her third novel. present this year’s awards. Tickets for this event are free but please reserve with the box office. Tickets - £5 (£3.75) Tickets - FREE Box Office 0121 303 2323 or www.birminghambookfestival.org Box Office 0121 303 2323 or 18 www.birminghambookfestival.org 19 Tuesday 13 October 7.30pm wednesday 14 October 7.15pm David Edgar Paint A Vulgar Picture How Plays Work Short stories inspired by The Smiths Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Venue - Fazeley Studios, 191 Fazeley Street, Digbeth, Birmingham B5 5SE

David Edgar pioneered the teaching of playwriting in the UK, founding the first Playwriting Studies course at Birmingham University twenty years ago. He is a leading playwright, best known for his political plays - amongst them Destiny and Pentecost - and for his adaptation of Nicholas Nickleby for the RSC. This event celebrates the publication of How Plays Work, a book that offers a masterclass for playwrights and playmakers Catherine O’Flynn Mil Millington Mike Gayle and is a fascinating guide to the anatomy A charming man betrays friends in the name of celebrity. Love blooms by the cemetery gates. of drama. It also gives an opportunity to A sour rain falls on the new young Queen divine. Shoplifters of the world unite in order to tug discuss the wider implications of teaching a reluctant aardvark out of a hole. A sweet and tender hooligan swings a three-bar fire like it playwriting studies in terms of quality, was a demolition ball. A naked birthday rendition of Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now is seen quantity and the expectations of writers. across the globe. Cranked up trannies tout their trade as long as there is light. Join contributors Catherine O’Flynn, Mil Millington and Mike Gayle for readings and discussion about this anthology and why The Smiths have influenced writers like no other band.

Tickets - £5 (£3.75) Tickets - £6 (£4.50) Box Office 0121 303 2323 or Box Office 0121 303 2323 or www.birminghambookfestival.org www.birminghambookfestival.org 20 21 Wednesday 14 October 7pm Wednesday 14 October 7.30pm Lindsey Davis Brian Keenan Rebels & Traitors I’ll Tell Me Ma Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG

Lindsey Davis is best known for her Falco novels, of which she has written nineteen. Lindsey started writing about the Romans with The Course of Honour, the remarkable true love story of the Emperor Vespasian and his mistress Antonia Caenis. Her research into First Century Rome inspired The Silver Pigs, the first outing for Falco and Helena, which was published in 1989 and won the Authors’ Club Best First Novel award. Lindsey has since won the Crimewriters’ Association Dagger in the Library and Ellis Brian Keenan’s Belfast memoir I’ll Tell Me Ma is an affectionate story of a disaffected Peters Historical Dagger, while Falco has childhood: that of an innocent, self conscious boy of unusual moral integrity, puzzled by won the Sherlock Award for Best Comic religion and sectarianism. Capturing the vivid post-war atmosphere of 1950s Belfast, Detective. She comes to the Festival to this story is told with remarkable heart and soul by the man who would become world introduce us to Rebels and Traitors. famous as a Beirut hostage. A departure from the writing that experience produced, (Four Quarters of Light, An Evil Cradling) this memoir is no less well crafted or moving.

Tickets - £6 (£4.50) Tickets - £6 (£4.50) Box Office 0121 303 2323 or Box Office 0121 303 2323 or www.birminghambookfestival.org www.birminghambookfestival.org 22 23 Thursday 15 October 8.15pm thursday 15 October 7pm Nick Hornby andLynn Barber The Art Of Living Series In Conversation In association with the RSA Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG

Nick and Lynn come to Birmingham to talk about their respective new works We live in a world in which people are constantly searching for meaning. and a fascinating joint project… The Art of Living series aims to reinvigorate philosophy by asking ‘how should we live?’ Philosophy, it claims, is the great untapped resource of our generation….

Steve Fuller Ziyad Marar Theo Hobson Mark Vernon Faith: Theo Hobson unpacks the concept Science: Steve Fuller asks how science is in of faith, as religion, as individualism, our hands, how we are all scientists and what Nick Hornby is one of our most successful Lynn Barber is an author and journalist, as determined optimism… it might mean to live ‘scientifically’… novelists as well as an essayist and known for her groundbreaking interviews, screenplay writer. His books include Fever currently working with the Observer. Deception: Ziyad Marar asks why we choose Wellbeing: Mark Vernon explores the axis on Pitch, About a Boy and High Fidelity, all of Her books include two collections of to deceive ourselves and others, and how we which our propensity for happiness turns and which have been adapted for film. interviews, Mostly Men and Demon Barber. might seek a truly honest life in a world where our ability (or lack thereof) to find a sense of face to face interaction is fast being replaced meaning or deeper purpose within ourselves... His latest book Juliet, Naked takes place in Her latest book, An Education, a memoir, by technology that makes lying so easy… the world of music and follows a reclusive has been adapted for film by Nick Hornby. 80s rock star with interesting consequences. Tickets - £8 (£6) Tickets - £6 (£4.50) Box Office 0121 303 2323 or Box Office 0121 303 2323 or www.birminghambookfestival.org Presented in association with the RSA www.birminghambookfestival.org 24 25 tuesday 20 October 7.30pm TUESDAY 20 October 7pm A Good Read Now & In Time

BBC Radio 4 Birmingham City University Honours Samuel Johnson Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG

One of BBC Radio Four’s best loved 2009 marks the tercentenary of the birth of programmes, A Good Read, returns to the Dr Samuel Johnson - conversationalist, poet, Birmingham Book Festival for a welcome maker of the first English dictionary, journalist, second visit. literary critic, textual scholar, biographer, author of travelogues and parliamentary reporter. The format is straightforward: two guests and the presenter, Sue MacGregor, each Profoundly influential in his own time, recommend a favourite book and then Johnson’s writings remain powerfully present. discuss them. The books must be in print His comments on war, social justice, and out in paperback, but those are the bereavement, ageing, slavery, politics and only rules. It’s a chance for listeners to hear other subjects show how little some things entertaining conversation about books they have changed in 300 years. might like to read or might have read. In honour of Johnson’s genius and example, Guests will be announced in advance Birmingham City University presents readings of the event - check for the latest news from the range of his works, recalling the on: www.birminghambookfestival.org combative wit, emotional depth, intellectual tenacity, humanity and durable moral courage of this exceptional son of the West Midlands. Tickets for this event are free but please reserve with the box office. Image courtesy of Dr Johnson’s House Trust Tickets - FREE Tickets - £5 (£3.75) Box Office 0121 303 2323 or Box Office 0121 303 2323 or www.birminghambookfestival.org 26 www.birminghambookfestival.org 27 Tuesday 20 October 6.45pm Wednesday 21 October 6.45 pm Anthology Surreal In The City Launch A Nine Arches Press Showcase Warwick MA Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Anthology Launch Through their distinctive and Tom Chivers’ first collection,How To Build Introduced by bold poetry, these four poets A City, won the Crashaw Prize. He has also A L Kennedy re-imagine and re-interpret published a pamphlet, The Terrors and is Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, the digital age and the urban associate editor Tears in the Fence. spaces in which we live. Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Matt Nunn is a freelance writer and Their frequently surreal and wry workshop leader. He is the co-editor of A collection of works by the 2008-9 MA poetry challenges language Under The Radar and Nine Arches Press. in Creative Writing students at the University and poetic form to produce of Warwick, including extracts from their work that responds to the Simon Turner’s collections include You Are new anthology Beyond The Bubble. peculiarities of contemporary Here. Difficult Second Album is due out in life and the ever-shifting 2010. His work has been in Tears in the Introduced by course tutor and author landscapes it inhabits. Fence, The Wolf, and The London Magazine. A L Kennedy. Luke Kennard is an award-winning poet, critic and dramatist. His latest collection, The Migraine Hotel was published in 2009.

Tickets for this event are free but please Tickets for this event are free but please reserve with the box office. reserve with the box office.

Tickets - FREE Tickets - FREE Live, love, read, it’s Box Office 0121 303 2323 Box Office 0121 303 2323 or www.birminghambookfestival.org or www.birminghambookfestival.org 28 your library wednesday 21 October 8pm Thursday 22 October 7pm A L Kennedy Robert Goddard What Becomes The NAW Lecture: What History Does Not Tell Us Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG

The author of five previous novels, two Robert Goddard is a bestselling author whose Join Robert and The National Academy of books of non-fiction, and three collections twentieth novel, Found Wanting, has just Writing for a lecture on the place of history in of short stories, A.L. Kennedy’s novel Day, been published. His novel Into the Blue was writing fiction and why the classic literary skills was the Costa Book of the Year in 2008. dramatized for television, starring John Thaw. of plot and narrative drive, while still much in She has twice been selected as one of It’s not what history tells us, but what it demand by readers, are seen as being less than Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists doesn’t tell us, that is his inspiration. essential in some quarters of the literary world. and has won many prizes including the Authors dealing with the past are often Lannan Literary Award, the Austrian State tempted to manipulate events to suit their Prize for European Literature, the Somerset fictional purpose. This is anathema to Robert Maugham Award, the Encore Award and Goddard, who aims for complete credibility the Saltire Scottish Book of the Year Award. and the total suspension of disbelief in his She lives in Glasgow and is a part-time readers by seamlessly mixing fact and fiction. lecturer in creative writing at Warwick He wants to convince us that everything in his University. What Becomes is her books could be real and believes that what latest novel. history leaves unexplained provides endless opportunities for the sort of labyrinthine plots he specialises in.

Tickets - £6 (£4.50) Tickets - £5 (£3.75) Box Office 0121 303 2323 or Box Office 0121 303 2323 or www.birminghambookfestival.org 30 www.birminghambookfestival.org 31 Thursday 22 October 7.15pm Thursday 22 October 7.30pm friday 23 October 7pm Fourpenny Chisholm Circus English Journey The Book Launch Live poetry in the ring Priestley’s Classic - 75 Years On Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Venue - Library Theatre, Birmingham Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Central Library, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3HQ In 1934, JB Priestley published an account of his journey through England from If you thought poetry Southampton to Coventry & Birmingham, was all daffodils and to the North East & Newcastle, to Norwich daydreams, think again. and then home. In capturing and describing Fourpenny Circus is a an English landscape and people hitherto spoken-word roadshow unseen in literature of its kind, he influenced bringing you poems of the thinking and attitudes of an entire laughter, loss and lust generation. Prophetic, profound, humorous in a lively, friendly show. and as relevant today as it was 75 years Poets Joy Winkler, ago, English Journey expresses Priestley’s Scottish composer/pianist Erik Chisholm Jo Bell, John Lindley and Andrew Rudd deep love of his native country and teaches is the subject of this new biography, bring poetry to the stage, circus styled and us much about the human condition and the commissioned by Birmingham Conservatoire performed with wit, humour and a touch of nature of Englishness. and The Erik Chisholm Trust. Author, the bizarre. J.B Priestley’s son Tom and writer and John Purser, will talk about the challenges Fresh from their Bunch of Fives tour of Broadcaster, Stuart Maconie come together of writing a biography of a man whose 2008 these poets are back with their latest to celebrate 75 years of this incredible book. daughters and widow are still living, and concoction, delivering new words in the whose music is scarcely known. Includes same accessible, irresistible style. performances of some of his best works. Tickets - £6 (£4.50) Tickets - £5 (£3.75) Tickets - £5.50 (£3) Box Office 0121 303 2323 Box Office 0121 303 2323 or Tickets available on the door only. or www.birminghambookfestival.org Stuart Maconie Tom Priestley www.birminghambookfestival.org 33 Saturday 24 October 1 - 5pm TUESDAY 27 October 7.15pm Readers Afternoon Richard Hamblyn Great Books for Autumn Extraordinary Clouds Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG

Join a fantastic line up of authors for an afternoon of discussion and book talk. Richard Hamblyn’s new book Extraordinary Some of the most spectacular images This event will take the form of several panel sessions, chaired by BBC Midlands Clouds is a celebration of unusual cloud come from The Cloud Appreciation Society, presenter and Tindal Street Press Board Member, Sue Beardsmore. formations and atmospheric phenomena. a fast-growing group of cloudspotters who are dedicated to living more of their Tea and biscuits, talk and books - a perfect Saturday afternoon! The collection demonstrates the most lives with their heads in the clouds. surprising and seemingly impossible Full line-up to be confirmed. Authors appearing include: Join us for a fascinating and informative patterns that can be created by the natural look at one of nature’s most intriguing and cycles of the weather, as well as man-made inspiring spectacles. atmospheric effects. Richard Hamblyn is the author of The Cloud Book and The Invention of Clouds. In 2002 he was awarded the LA Times Book Prize and was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize. He is currently Writer in Residence at the Environment Institute at University College London.

Jenn Ashworth Mark Illis Jeremy Page Amanda Smyth Presented in association with the RSA Tickets - £5 (£3.75) Group tickets 6 for £20 Tickets - £6 (£4.50) Box Office 0121 303 2323 or Box Office 0121 303 2323 or www.birminghambookfestival.org www.birminghambookfestival.org 34 35 Tuesday 27 October 7pm Tuesday 27 October 8pm A Pint For The Ghost Postcard Poets Helen Mort Heroes and Heroines Venue - Library Theatre, Birmingham Central Library, Chamberlain Venue - Library Theatre, Birmingham Central Library, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3HQ Square, Birmingham B3 3HQ Helen Mort is a former Foyle Young Take 20 poets, ask each of them to write Poet of the Year and the author of two a poem on the National Poetry Day theme pamphlets published by Tall-Lighthouse of Heroes and Heroines, short enough Press. She received an Eric Gregory to fit on a postcard, and accessible to Award in 2007 and won the Manchester all readers, select the best six - and you Young Writer prize in 2008. A Pint For get the Postcard Poets. Their poems are The Ghost is a show set in a lonely bar available on attractive postcards at libraries after hours where strange characters throughout the West Midlands, but tonight come to introduce themselves; all six will be reading in person. a night-time encounter with the ghosts of worked-out mines, smoky pubs and Featuring: Jo Bell, Julie Boden, deserted highways. Roz Goddard, Emma Purshouse Spoz, Catherine Whittaker “An exciting collection from a writer who knows the value of the past, and how to set it against the Free postcard for every audience member! present to illuminate them both.’ (Ian McMillan) Tickets for this event are free but please reserve with the Box Office

Tickets - £5 (£3.75) Tickets - FREE Box Office 0121 303 2323 Box Office 0121 303 2323 or or www.birminghambookfestival.org www.birminghambookfestival.org 36 37

Tuesday 27 October 7pm wednesday 28 October 6pm wednesday 28 October 7.15pm Writing The Archers Emerging Talent George Monbiot BBC Radio 4 National Academy of The Birmingham Book Festival Keynote Address Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Writing Showcase Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, “One of the tasks of writers is to confront George Monbiot is the author of the As The Archers approaches its 60th Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG denial. They are the skulls in the corners best selling books The Age of Consent: year (2010) longstanding scriptwriter of our paintings, the momento mori who A Manifesto For A New World Order and The National Academy of Writing was set Jo Toye presents her book The Archers remind us what lies beneath and what is Captive State: The Corporate Takeover of up in 2000 to create a school for aspiring Miscellany. This bears resemblance to to come. The novelists who help to define Britain; as well as investigative travel books writers with demonstrable talent based on Schott’s Miscellany but is an amalgam their era are those who break through the Poisoned Arrows, and No Man’s Land. the ‘conservatoire’ approach adopted in the of purely Archers facts sourced from the screens erected by society to shield itself performing arts. The programme, hosted at In 1995 Nelson Mandela presented him extensive Archers archive. from uncomfortable truths. Performing this Birmingham City University since 2006, with a United Nations Global 500 Award for task while remaining readable is fiction’s allows participants to develop their skills as outstanding environmental achievement. Joined by Editor Vanessa Whitburn and greatest challenge.” novelists, poets, playwrights, screenwriters He has also won the Sir Peter Kent Award chaired by longest serving scriptwriter (George Monbiot, 2009) and non-fiction writers, supported by the and the OneWorld National Press Award. Mary Cutler, Jo takes us behind the active involvement of the Academy’s Patrons scenes at Birmingham’s favourite farm Original, distinctive and challenging the and Partners. This event showcases some and discusses writing The Archers over very bones of writing - an evening not to of the best work from the last three years. the years. be missed. An abstract for this lecture will be available throughout the Festival to allow you to do some thinking in advance. See our website or Festival staff for details. Tickets are free but please reserve a place Tickets - £6 (£4.50) with the box office. Box Office 0121 303 2323 Tickets - £6 (£4.50) or www.birminghambookfestival.org Box Office 0121 303 2323 Box Office 0121 303 2323 or or www.birminghambookfestival.org www.birminghambookfestival.org 38 39 wednesday 28 October 7.30pm Wednesday 28 October 7.45pm R J Ellory Some Girls’ Mothers The Anniversary Man Launch New Stories by Women Venue - The Library Theatre, Birmingham Central Library, Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3HQ. Do daughters step into their mothers’ Celebrated poets, the writers showcased Roger Ellory is one of Birmingham’s best shoes? How does this central relationship here explore daughterhood and motherhood kept secrets - a prize winning, Richard colour women’s lives? The tales in this in their own unique styles and offer a distinct and Judy listed crime writer living and anthology address these questions with set of insights. They speak out in prose that working in our city. He is best known for honesty and vigour, weaving humour fizzes and crackles, throwing light on this A Quiet Belief In Angels and is the author and warmth into the telling of small but most formative of relationships. of seven novels, of which The Anniversary significant tragedies. You’ll find plenty to uncover in this irreverent Man is the most recent. but heartfelt take on an age-old subject. The Anniversary Man is the story of the Writers performing: Suzanne Batty, physical and psychological scarring Anne Caldwell & River Walton. endured by a survivor of the “Hammer of God” killer who terrorized New Jersey City throughout the summer of 1984.

Sponsored by Orion Books

Tickets - £5 (£3.75) Tickets - £5 (£3.75) Box Office 0121 303 2323 or Box Office 0121 303 2323 or www.birminghambookfestival.org www.birminghambookfestival.org 40 41 THURSday 29 October 7.30pm SATURDAY 31 October 7.30pm Karen Armstrong Beyond Words What Religion Really Means Apples & Snakes present Beyond Words Venue - Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, Birmingham B3 3HG Venue - The Drum, 144 Potters Lane, Aston, Birmingham, B6 4UU

Karen Armstrong is one of the world’s leading commentators on religious affairs. Five incredible South African poets tour the UK together for the first time. A former nun, teacher and journalist, she is Brought together by the Poet Laureate and renowned exiled campaigner Keorapetse the bestselling author of over twenty books Kgositsile, this show features new work from voices of South Africa in the twenty and a passionate campaigner for religious first century. The poets are also collaborating with UK artists while visiting and will liberty. She has addressed the United States be showcasing this work as part of the event. Congress, the Senate, and participated in the World Economic Forum. A UN Ambassador Featuring: Keorapetse Kgositsile, Lebo Mashile, Donata Francisco Mattera, Lesego for the Alliance of Civilizations and a recipient Rampolokeng and Phillippa Yaa de Villiers. of the Franklin J Roosevelt Four Freedoms Medal, Karen is currently working on creating This event will also be accompanied by a workshop with South Africa’s Poet Laureate, a Charter of Compassion, crafted by leading Keorapetse Kgositsile, running on Saturday 30th October. For further information and to thinkers in Judaism, Christianity and Islam book your place please contact the box office. which will be signed in 2009 by a thousand religious leaders. The Case For God: What Supported by The Drum and The Birmingham Book Fetival in association with Religion Really Means is an essential book for Sustained Theatre. Funded by British Council South Africa, South African the modern age; it asks us to draw creatively Government and Arts Council England. on the insights of the past in order to build a faith that speaks to the needs of our troubled and dangerously polarized world. Tickets £7 (£5) Performance only Tickets - £6 (£4.50) £11 (£9) Workshop and Performance Box Office 0121 303 2323 or Box Office 0121 333 2444 www.birminghambookfestival.org or www.thedrum.org.uk 42 43 Saturday 10 October

Venue - South Birmingham College, High Street, Deritend, Digbeth, Birmingham B5 5SU Saturday10am - 12.30pm Workshops...1 - 3pm 1.30 - 4pm 10am - 3pm Fiction Writing with Kate Long Digbeth Family Writing Workshop Kick-starting Ideas with Judith Allnatt Poetry By Heart with David Calcutt Kate Long looks at methods of generating with Mandy Ross How can we stimulate our creativity and A thing of beauty is a joy forever… fictional characters, and how they can be Bring a young relative or friend and get broaden the range of our ideas? This workshop And so is a poem learned by heart, as you’ll developed to create plots Kate is the author inspiration from the street names, will focus on techniques to spark new ideas find out at David Calcutt’s workshop for all of four novels, including the number one architecture and the city buzz of Digbeth. using lateral thinking, experimentation and the family. The novelist, playwright and poet bestseller The Bad Mother’s Handbook. which is layered with history, secrets and stimuli from other art forms. Judith Allnatt’s will lead participants through the adventure surprises. Mandy Ross has written and book, A Mile of River, was shortlisted for the Writing Freelance with Maria McCarthy of learning, and performing a long (but not edited over 40 books, mainly for children. Portico Prize. Suitable for all. Would you like to write articles for news- too epic!) poem by heart. This unique event papers and magazines? This workshop Places sold in pairs: Creating Dialogue with Stephen May will offer participants the chance to enjoy a will offer practical advice on researching one adult & one 9-16 year old Creating convincing, snappy dialogue is one series of lively exercises designed not only to your market, developing feature ideas, of the most difficult tasks a writer can face. help them memorise the poem, but also to approaching editors and negotiating fees. In this fun and practical workshop award- perform it in chorus to a public audience. Maria McCarthy is a freelance writer and winning writer Stephen May will help you 1.30 - 4pm A public performance of the poems journalist who teaches at Bristol University. craft sharp and plausible dialogue that will Marshalling Thoughts learned on this day will take place on add pace and power to your own writing. Mirror Writing with Myra Connell with Will Buckingham Tuesday 13 October in Birmingham What happens when the self that comes into Ever wished you could think more clearly? Writing for Publication with Central Library Foyer at 6.30pm. being in front of the mirror meets the public By what process do we drag our thoughts Maria McCarthy world? Perhaps the very privateness, almost into some semblance of sense, and how Maria McCarthy, journalist, author of The Girls’ Half day workshops £22 (£15) secrecy, of our relationship with the mirror, does this affect our writing? Can we Car Handbook and tutor at Bristol University Full day workshops £30 (£25) makes it the stuff of powerful writing. Join change the way we do it? Join writer and offers advice on getting your novel or non- Family workshop £10 per pair Myra Connell, writer and poet, to explore what philosopher Will Buckingham to unstitch fiction book published. The workshop will Box Office: 0121 303 2323 poems or stories might be hiding in your mirror. your thinking. cover getting an agent, the editing process, or www.birminghambookfestival.org the importance of the right book jacket, how advances and royalties work and the chances Unless otherwise stated workshops of being able to give up the day job! are only suitable for adults. 44 45 Saturday 10 October Saturday 17 October

Surgeries... Sem inars... South Birmingham College, High Street, Deritend, Digbeth, Birmingham B5 5SU South Birmingham College, High Street, Different in tone to our 10.30am - 12noon 2.30pm - 4pm DPoetryeritend, DSurgeriesigbeth, Birmingham - various B5 5SU times. workshops, these seminars Angela Carter with Poppy James David F. Wallace with Luke Kennard With Mimi Khalvati & Jane Holland do not demand that you During her lifetime Angela Carter’s writing American novelist David Foster Wallace’s Are you in need of some more specific, do any writing, but instead attracted many descriptions - magic realist, epic novel Infinite Jest has beguiled readers one to one help with developing your are a chance to discover surrealist, gothic and fantasy. Poppy James since its publication in 1996. Luke Kennard, looks at Carter’s legacy - which includes lecturer in Creative Writing at the University poetry? Presented in association with new depths to writers, or The Poetry School, these thirty minute Wise Children, Nights at the Circus and of Birmingham, opens some doors into this intensive surgeries are designed to give topics, you are curious The Bloody Chamber. brilliant, complex novel. you tailored advice and feedback from about, guided by an expert. Will Self with Heather Child a professional poet and teacher. 12.30pm - 2pm Through his novels and journalism, Will When booking a slot you will be invited to Philip Roth with Dr P. McDonald Self has demonstrated a wonderful ability send a short extract of your work in advance. 10.30am - 12 noon Dr Paul McDonald, novelist and academic, to reflect the age we live in with a glorious Raymond Carver with Dr P. McDonald introduces the work of this most influential vividness. Writer Heather Child shares her Please note - Surgeries are offered on of contemporary American novelists. Philip enthusiasm for Self’s work, which includes a first come, first served basis, and Raymond Carver’s poetry and prose captures a version of American life. Dr Paul Roth’s novels include Portnoy’s Complaint Cock and Bull and The Book of Dave. availability is limited. We recommend and American Pastoral. booking early to avoid disappointment. McDonald, novelist and Senior Lecturer Roy Fisher with Simon Turner in American Literature at the University of Michael Donaghy with Can Sonmez Birmingham born poet Roy Fisher writes Wolverhampton, explores Carver’s work The death of Michael Donaghy in 2004 at with astonishing clarity, particularly about and its enduring appeal. the age of only fifty robbed us of one of our his native city. The poet Simon Turner British Asian Writing with Dr R. Ahmed most entertaining and skilful poets. Writer introduces at some of Fisher’s poems and Surgery tickets £28 (£20) From iconic novelists Salman Rushdie and academic Can Sonmez shares and the extraordinary breadth of imagination call 0121 246 2792 or and Hanif Kureishi, to new voices such considers some of Donaghy’s poems. they demonstrate. [email protected] as Monica Ali and Nadeem Aslam join Dr Rehana Ahmed for an introduction Tickets - £10 (£7) for one Box Office0121 303 2323 or to British Asian writing. £17 (£12) for two www.birminghambookfestival.org 46 47 How to book tickets

Book events, workshops surgeries or seminars through the box office - Phone 0121 303 2323 Online www.birminghambookfestival.org www.birminghamboxoffice.com In person In advance at the Ticket Office at Birmingham Central Library 9am to 5.30pm Mon - Fri, 10am to 4.30pm Sat.

In person On the door - From 1 hour before the event Please note payment by credit card will not be possible. Workshops, surgeries and seminars have limited availability so book in advance.

Tickets available in advance for most free events, please book to guarantee a seat. All main venues have disabled access. Wheelchair access to Library Theatre is via the Central Library. Some workshop venues may have limited access. Call the Festival Office 0121 246 2770 for further access information. The Festival reserves the right to refuse admission to events or request ticket holders to leave. Unless specifically stated Festival events are generally not suitable for children. The Festival reserves the right to alter or cancel the programme in the event of unavoidable cause, without prior notification. The use of Mobile phones, cameras, video and audio equipment at Festival events is prohibited. The Birmingham Book Festival is managed by Midland Creative Projects Ltd Unit 116, The Custard Factory, Gibb Street, Birmingham, B9 4AA Telephone - 0121 246 2770 or email - [email protected]